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The History of British Parliament
Britain has the oldest Parliament in the world. This institution has changed over the centuries and has reflected the class structure and economic basis of feudal and capitalist societies. Parliament is held in the Palace of Westminster. This tradition dates back to Saxon times when the king called to that place barons,who discussed with him matters of state. The king often argued with them for his power and money. In 1215 King Henry III refused to accept Magna Carta. A group of powerful barons supported him. But Symon de Monfort defeated them and in 1265 called the first Parliament. From that time the king summoned Parliament and representatives of counties and cities with the king’s advisers from the clergy, and his supporters among the feudal barons met together. As the class differences between the representatives and aristocracy became more marked, the division into the «Lords» and «Commons» took place. The Queen usually opens the new session of Parliament. During the election of the Speaker, when he is going to his great chair at one end of the House, he struggles and pretends that he doesn’t wish to accept the honour. This comes from the days when men were afraid to become the Speaker. It was because the sovereign and the House of Commons often quarreled and the Speaker’s duty of acting as go-between was both difficult and dangerous. Nowadays the Speaker no longer takes part in debates as other members do. He presides over the debates and decides which member is to speak at any particular moment. The Speaker doesn’t vote at the end of them. But if the Government and the Opposition gain an equal number of votes, then the Speaker has the casting vote. The Government runs the country but Parliament holds the Government to account.When Government Ministers make statements in the House of Commons, they are interrogated by the Opposition and by individual members of all parties.
New words:
- to hold — проводить;
- to date back — вести исчисление;
- powerful — могущественный;
- to argue — спорить;
- to sign — подписывать;
- to accept — принимать, соглашаться;
- Magna Carta — Великая Хартия Вольностей;
- to support — поддерживать;
- to defeat — наносить поражение;
- development — развитие;
- division — деление, разделение;
- to summon — призывать, созывать;
- growth — рост;
- to make statements — делать заявления;
- to interrogate — опрашивать, допрашивать;
- to account — рассматривать как.
Questions to the text:
1. Has British Parliament changed over the centuries? What has it reflected?
2. Where is Parliament held? What times does this tradition date back?
3. What did a group of powerful barons discuss with the king?
4. What did the king often argue with barons for?
5. When did King Henry III refuse to accept Magna Carta?
6. Who supported him?
7. Who defeated them?
8. When did Symon de Monfort call the first Parliament?
9. Why did the division into the «Lords» and «Commons» take place?
10. What is the House of Commons now?
Exercise 2. Translate the following sentences into Russian:
1. The UK parliamentary system has evolved over the last
700 years.
2. British Parliament consists of the Sovereign, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
3. The present building of the Palace of Westminster was built after the catastrophic fire in 1834, destroyed most of the ancient buildings.
4. The House of Commons Chamber was rebuilt between 1945 and 1950, after the destruction in the Second World War.
5. One of most familiar images of the House of Lords is the State Opening of Parliament by Her Majesty the Queen.
6. The Queen’s Speech sets out Parliament’s working agenda for the coming year.
7. The House of Lords has existed as a separate chamber of Parliament since the 14th century.
8. Members of Parliament /MPs/ have many duties that involve them in different activities.
9. MPs spend some time each week working in their constituencies and dealing with constituents’ problems.
10. The major task of MPs is to examine and pass legislation.
Exercise 3. Fill in the gaps with the words given below, translate the text into Russian: to appoint, to elect(2), prominent, proportion (3), local councils, to appeal, minority